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THESPHINX
BROTHER JAMES A. COLSTON ELECTED PRESIDENT GEORGIA STATE COLLEGE
DR. JAMES A. COLSTON President, Georgia State College, Savannah, Georgia. By Attorney Sidney A. Jones. Jr. Contributing Editor In keeping with the Alpha tradition, another of our Brothers has been elected as a college president. On May 7, 1947, the Board of Regents of the University of Georgia elected Brother James A. Colston president of the historic Georgia State College at Savannah. This college, which has been in existence since 1890, served the largest Negro population of any state in the Union, in that Georgia is the only state with more than one million Negro citizens. The college has not attained the high standard that many of its friends have desired. However, the State of Georgia, it is understood, desires to make this college for Negroes the equal of any other state college, and has set out on a program to bring about this result. It's first step was to secure the best available man for the position, and without any extended preliminary negotiations. Brother Colston was called upon to head this institution. Since assuming his duties on July 1, 1947. 33 new appointments have already been made to the staff. This is in addition to making reappointments of all qualified staff members. Among the outstanding additions to the faculty are: Theodore (Ted) Wright, former athletic director of Xavier University in New Orleans. Mr. Wright will head the Department of Physical Education and serve as head coach of all athletic teams. Another outstanding appointment has been that of Dr. William H. Brown, formerly of the Department of Education at Atlanta University. Thus we can see that Brother Colston has lost no time in setting about to make Georgia State a first rate college. He states that he expects that within a short period of time Georgia State will have a faculty as well as a physical plant which will
be the pride of all the people of Georgia. The college is now able to bid for first ciass instructors because there is LOW an equalization of salaries in the university system whereby teachers in the Negro state colleges receive the identical pay of teachers in the white state colleges of Georgia. Brother Colston is well qualified for this important position, although only 37 years of age, and his training and experience were such that he was selected for the position. He was born in Quincy, Florida, and received the B. S. degree from Morehouse College in 1932. and the M. A. degree from Atlanta University in 1933. He has done graduate work at Columbia University and at the Universily d Chicago. Brother Colston was an honor student throughout his college days and was awarded a graduate scholarship to Atlanta Universily on the basis of his scholastic record, and was also awarded a scholarship to New York University. The new college president began his teaching experience in the high schools of Atlanta, even while he was working on his Master's degree. He was principal of the Rigby Junior High School at Ormond, Florida, from 1933 to 1938, and Director of Ballard School, Macon, Georgia, 1938 to 1943. He was an instructor in me Atlanta University Summer School in 1941 and 1943. In 1942 he was-elected president of Bethune-Cookman College Daytona Beach, Florida, and served there unt.il 1946. While president of this school, he was successful in having the status of the school raised from Class B. Junior College to a fully accredited senior college. He resigned this position effective June 30, 1946, and on July 1, 1946 he began his duties as Director of Public Relations at Hampton Institute, Virginia. Because of his steady progress and fine record wherever he had been, Brother Colston was singled out while at Hampton and called to this new post of duty. Brother Colston was initiated into Alpha Rho Chapter. Morehouse College in 1929, and attended his first convention at Cincinnati in 1931. He is married to Wilhelmina White Colston, and they have one child, Jean Alice, age 5 years. Alpha Brothers throughout the country will be watching with much interest the progress of this young college president. He has stated that his program is simply to make Georgia State College one of the finest colleges of its kind anywhere.
Brother W. B. Campbell, A Jolly Fine Fellow, In Austin, Texas It was a long.winding trail over which Brother W. B. Campbell traveled through thirty-one years of educational work, but it finally brought him to realization of a dream of long ago . . . initiation into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Principal of Anderson High School, Austin, Texas, Brother Campbell "crossed the burning sand" in March of this year by way of Gamma Eta Lambda. He regards his acceptance in the Fraternity one of the really great landmarks of his life.
October. 1947 The prominent Texas educator attended Prairie View State College in 1913, but went to Shaw University, Raleigh, N. C, for his A. B. Degree. Neither of these in-
stitutions had chanters at the time. Shortly after graduation from Shaw, Brother Campbell turned from the campus at Shaw to find himself facing a nation at war. He entered World War I, and attained rank of Captain. Then came peace and more studies at Michigan University v. here he was awarded the M. A. degree. During initiation ceremonies, he exhibited for the pleasure of the brothers several letters from other Greek-letter societies which wanted his membership. But he held out for Alpha! Brother Campbell and his wife, Mrs. Mable B. Campbell, have been married more than thirty years. They are parents of four children, three daughters, and a son. Three of their children hold M. A. degrees, and the fourth is doing graduate work at Northwestern. Lee Lewis, son, is studying toward his Doctorate at Columbia University. . s
Beta Beta Brothers Entertain Students From Ethiopa "The Ethiopians are an agrarian, peaceseeking people, but fought fiercely when their country was invaded and died willingly to preserve their liberty," says Germame Neway. one of six Ethiopian students entertained informally recently by members of Beta Beta Chapter at the Lincoln Urban League. The students, sent by the Crown Prince of Ethiopia to study at American schools, have been in the United States less than three months and are now attending Union College. Neway also recounted Emperor Selassie's economic and political reforms and the establishment by the government of many elementary and high schools in his native land. From Ethiopia were Germame Wandefrash. Lemma Frew, Germame Neway, Kifle Segaie, Imulatu Debebe and Selfe Mohteme Selassie. Fraternity hosts included Alfred B. Grice, Ira Gibson, Charles Goolsby, S. Ellsworth Gooden, Lynnwood Parker and Mozeal A. Dillion, graduate student from Langston (Okla.) University.